Thursday, December 16, 2010

I recently had a chance to review C.J. Date's video, Relational Theory Master Class. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it for anyone who wishes to better understand the theory behind relational database design. But be prepared; this is not a beginner’s class. You should have a basic understanding of SQL and database design before viewing this video. And while the content is expensive at $299 I feel it’s worth it. It’s still cheaper than attending a similar seminar in person, and you can review it whenever you like.

The video is a companion to Date’s book, SQL and Relational Theory, but it’s not required to read or purchase the book too. There’s 16 hours of video content, and I feel the class does a better job of describing relational theory. One of the features of the video I like is that it’s not static; that is, the camera focus is not always on the speaker or a slide deck. Moving between the speaker, the audience, and the content keeps the viewer’s interest. And you can hear the questions asked; it’s almost like you’re attending the class in person.

The content is excellent. It’s not centered on any specific platform. The methods you learn here help you to better understand why your table joins work the way they do, regardless if your database is Oracle or SQL Server. Once you better understand relation theory your code will make more sense.